Eurosolar co-operative prizewinner to speak at event discussing what makes for success in community renewable energy schemes

How can community renewable energy schemes be successful?

A half day seminar at Aberdeen University – sponsored by the School of Social Science, University of Aberdeen

This seminar will look into factors that affect the success of community renewable energy schemes, and innovative means of achieving this. Attendance is free of charge. Henning Davidsen, organiser of the prizewinning 'Hvide Sande' cooperative wind power project will be among the speakers.

Date and time: Wednesday November 20^th, 12-5pm, University of Aberdeen, King St, in room NK14, New  Kings College Building on the main University (Kings College) campus. If you want to attend,  register with David Toke by sending an email to d.toke@abdn.ac.uk and you will receive further details.

Schedule and Speakers:

12.10-12.30 – tea and coffee

12.30 – 12.50  -Dr David Toke, Reader in Energy Politics, University of Aberdeen

‘An overview –accounting for success in renewable energy cooperatives’

12.50 – 1.30 - Felix Wright, Policy and Innovation Manager, Community Energy Scotland,  – ‘Reflections on Community Renewables programmes in Scotland’

1.30- 2.10pm-  Henning Davidsen – Coordinator of the Holmsland Tourism Association in Hvide Sande, Denmark, which acted to establish a 9 MW wind power project using an innovative Trust Fund mechanism to underpin a cooperative. The project has been awarded the European Solar Prize by Eurosolar 2013. -

'How Hvide Sande got its windmills through a cooperative effort'

2.10- 2.35 Dr Richard Cowell – Reader in Environmental Policy and Planning, University of Cardiff, 'Community Renewables in Wales and Beyond'

2.35-3.15 Professor Frede Hvelplund - Aalborg University, Denmark,  'How community renewable energy schemes help integrate fluctuating renewable energy sources into the grid'

3.15-3.30 coffee break

3.30 –  3.55 Dr Claire Haggett, Lecturer in Sociology of Sustainability, University of Edinburgh  ‘Social factors that influence the success (or not) or community energy projects’

3.55 – 4.20 Professor Peter Strachan, Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University, ‘How can the mainstream industry help renewable energy cooperatives?’

4.20 – 4.45pm Community Energy in Aberdeen 

4.20-4.30 - Laurie Robertson (PhD student, Department of Scoiology), Aberdeen University 'Pitmedden Community Wind Turbine - how did it come about?'

4.30-4.45 - Nick Carroll, farmer and wind power planning consultant (recently gained consent for a 800 KW machine on his land): 'Farmers and Wind Power'.

4.45 – 5pm – Discussion and close

For a report of this seminar, see http://blogs.scotland.gov.uk/coastal-monitoring/2013/12/19/community-renewable-energy-schemes-in-scotland/